Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-02
CAMP FIRE STORIES.

queer way ne nau OF puckeTlCS up MS
mouth before he began to speak He had
stock cattle up here. and he was botheret,
considerably with the bears, but it was
hard to say which he WAS most afraid of,
bears or firearms. His cattle corral was
near his shake cabin, and the beasts, be-
ing very fond Of veal. used TO come socia-
bly, up TO his very door. He was an old
dried up bachelor and lived there al
alone.
''ODe day he came over and said lie
wanted mo to help him build a bear trap.
I went over and We built q good. big.
strong one, just below his house. guess
could show you the old log pile there
yet You know how they are made
heavy pine logs notched into each other. u
great square pen, then a sliding trap door
to work up and down inside, trigger ON
the figure four" fashion, with bait-a
calf or half . deer-at the back of the pen,
which the bear smells. tries to carry
Oh, down comes the trap door, and
he 6nds himself prisoner Well,
we finished the trap, covered it over tn"
tor with big rocks to make it doubly
se:ure, bai;ed it with a calf, half devoured
by the hears the night before, and awaited
results.
..Tbe next day over ccme persimmon
JacI saving. We've Got him and I tell
you he's A monster. and 1 want con Ia
come over and kill him
30 nor l said. shoot him yonrself,
ssHe had no pun but AN old army mrs.
bet he bad brouCbt with him from ,be
States with I snnpose the same load in
n he carried across the MAINS So
offered him INV rife
".Shoot him. he said: 4 wouldp't
shoot him for all the cattle nm the RANG, /,
He Mead and pleod but ! was de-
termiped TO have some fun. and | refused
Rut I went over and SURE enourb, he WIS
. monster-an old crizzly-and how he
wss Davdno the oround and cnawiDg
bull, of Bashan. Jack besoucbt me TO
:hoot him. but l was obdurate and left
aim the very picture of woe, wishing him
n pleassnt nights rest Next morning
b. WAS over aSaip with the same reoueS,
said ne hadn't been able 10 sleen
n wink. I told him I'd done nv
share and m L wou,,,p,t Well
We did have sport over moor ,Jock..
hear and believe he woula
have STAYED caced till he died of starya-
ton. IL the hacpard expression of Per
ewes and nifty for the beast had
not touched tho heart of one of the bows
.taying with me. So he went over one
day. and stopped Bruins parine. and
enye moor Jack chance for a GOOD nigh, :
rest again. II. never set the iran after.
ward,
"AsIsaid lark lived in a shake cabin
Y,u haze seen them-the shakes are rived
oa,s OF the sugar nine which spljts straight
n, IL sawed. and thin as a ribbon: the
fame u made of poles spiked together
the whole held firm by POLES across the
square. ROOTED and weather boarded with
the shakes, no ceiling. A home made tn
HE same material. two or three camp
stools ,u,t of a log with a shake nailed
across, comprised the furniture tf
Pers;mmon Jacks mansion. He slept
ON tole bunk. occupyipg the spac.
from the door TO ;be end O. The
cabin Tomake his home burrlar proof ar
night he would shove the table up against
ri. door. whose deer skin string and
wooden latch was the only fastening
The Last visit lack Maid me was one morn
GARD and wild eyed that he almost FRIGHT
ened me. .Why Jack said |. what on
earth a the matter, are Won sicks'
"sD,n't feel yery pert, he replied.
asWell what's nn,'
.Af.er ,eneafe,i in,errova,ione he finally
.nswered .Wen S I've cot 10 leave
tI,e ra,oe Can't s.onS i, any LONGER
=. Cant stand wbaty'
".Whv them cussed hears, I've lost
half nv calves. an, if stay a little LONGER
I,u lose nv carcass TOO And persim.
mo, Jack pnckered nm his month and
commenced DIGGING a hole in the ground
With the heel of his hoo, and looked the
Verv decentralization of despair
..What,s their latest wrinkles, I osked
".wnlI (, said he last night I showed
rhc table sotn the door an went to bed as
usual About midnight thought heard
the table move, but, after listening, con-
ciuded l was mistaken. Just got INTO
doze ngin when the taoie did move $50,
up in bed, and what did see but an old
bear, with his forepaws on the loot OF my
bunk, a-iooking me straight In the eyes.
He raised one paw and give a grunt,
an got up an got a-straddle one
OF the str1ng1ns; out l tell SOU,
s., 1t was the toughest job
ever struck a-tryin to hold on to that
stringin' An that Old devil OF brute
smelled round the shanty, pulled down
sack Of sugar an eat that, an then he
turned his attention To me. He sot down
ON his hunkers right under me an growied'
III be goi darned IL II didnt make tne
coid shlSers run ooWh 'he spine Vi my
nack- inen ne Walk rouhu 'he capih'
an come oacE' an squa. risht nnder mt
an growi an shaIi an sho" ms teeti
agn: linen ne 5000 up on ms hino
sledge runners an trieo 10 pa" me- an
tell you II was uSLt hippin by ora"in
up my legs neo JUST mss 'hen Win M
paw. An there l hao 70 sot al niSh,
a-hctiin' On TO tnat foush strheln VIII
6otA hands, an dra"ih up my legs out
the way o. that old grizzly's paws; S.
nv iinfs an sinners is that sore this morn
I'M / kin hardly walk. can't stand it
s.. I've got 10 git out O. these diggin's.
.srbe poor fe2ow was stiff sure enough
but the picture nv fancy painted Of poo
Jack astride that rough barked bare pole
drawing up his muse les to their utmost ten